Depth gear for torpedoes



H. IVI. BRANHAIVI.

DEPTH GEAR FOR TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION man MAR.25.1921.

Patented July 1s, v1922.

attozuu l l ED -S PlA T 0F F ssamm, or Badozrw, `ixrizw 'Yoan DEPTH @dem Fea-'romances To 'all whom t may concern.: y

Be it known that I, vHUGH M. BRANHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Newv York7 have invented new and useful Improvements in vDepth `@rea-rs for j notes one-half of the spring case, the other Torpedoesyotwhich the vfollowing is a specication.

This `invention relates to improvements in torpedoes and more f particularly to improvemerits inthe depth control mechanism.

In Yorder that a cleafrer perception of the Y present invention lmay` be Ahad it may be stated that during the test and runs of torpedoe's `it yhas been #found that lthere was a tendency for the `to'rpedoto sink 'duringthe run which was believed to be caused in some cases by pressure leaks from the 'after-body of thetorpe-do into the depth spring. cases. During *a run the `after l'body `pressure exceeds the pressure in thefs'pring cases by an amount'dep'endin'g upon the strength of the exhaust gas springs and the depth of water in which the torpedo is running. Any leaks into the depth 'spring case increases the pressure on the inner side .of the diaphragm thus neutralizing the outside pressure and causing the torpedo to seek a lower level. As the torpedo goes down to a lower level the after-body pressure increases with the depth of water and the leak into the spring case continues. The resulting tendency is for the torpedo to seek at all times a depth of several feet deeper than that at which it is intended to run. Even when the stufiing boxes about the spring are carefully made until tight under pressure test before' a run is actually made leaks sometimes develop during a long range shot because of the drying out process to which the packing is subjected.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to improve the construction of the springcase depth control mecha? itsV substitution. f

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in connecs'peeifition ofetfs' Paterit. eatentd Jiily '18, Application' filed Marchesi, 1921. semaine. 455,539.

tion with the accompanying sheet of draw ings forming partof thisdisclosure wherein is shown in vertical longitudinal4 section a Aportion ot the depth control mechanism.`

Referring to the drawing in detail7 1 dethe balance '4, one of which Iis indicated at 6. The:t'ensionon this spring is 'controlled by nfieans of depth 'setting mechanism 7' of well-known operation to those skilled in the' art7 modified and improved in construction so as to be entirely usable in the proposed modification of the depth-control mechamsm.

As previously stated one of the main objections was due to the leakage of pressure in the after-body through the various joints or the opening through which the depth control setting mechanism passed to increase the pressure upon the diaphragm 5 thereby effecting the depth at which the torpedo was intended to run. In order to overcomev this objection there is interposed between the member S at the lower part of the depth setting mechanism and a bushing 10 screwed into the depth spring casing. a sylphon 11, the sylphon being sweated to the nut 8 at one end and to the bushing or collar 10 at the other end thereby pre-venting a leakage of pressure to the casing 3 containing the spring balance. This diaphragm does not move at any time except when the depth setting mechanism is ac` tuated. the nut Sbeing free to move up and down under that operation. the spring 6 is, of course, free to expand and contract as the movement ot the diaphragm takes place. To further insure against leakage of pressure in the after-body to the casing 3 a stutling box l2 is provided about the shaft 13 of the depth setting mechanism and an hardening and cracking.

upperrportion of the spring' case as in or- Y mer proven constructions.

From the above it will be seen that the pressure leaks are positively excluded from the inner side of the diaphragm. andthe only movement of the sylphon occurs 'when the depth setting is changed. While the torpedo is running the sylphon bellows do not work with the change in length of theV will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint ofthe prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and. therefore, such i adaptations shouldV and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning andv'range of equivalency of the following claims. Y`

TWhat l' claim'is 1. YIn a torpedo, in combination, a housing for the spring balance of the depth control mec'hanism,'a spring within the housing, means for adjusting the tension of the spring rand means interposed between the adjusting means and the housing for eX- cluding the pressure of gases in the afterbody from the interior of said casing.

2. In a torpedo, in combination, a casing, a spring balance housed therein, depth setting means partially within and adjustable tromrwithout said'casing, a spring interposed between saidY depth setting means and the spring balance and an eXpansible member' interposed between the vdepth setting means and the housing. Y I

3. In af torpedo, in combination, a casing,

a springbalance housed therein, depth setting means partially within and adjustable from withoutfsaid casing, a spring interposedbetween said depth setting means and the spring balance, an expansible member interposed'betweenthe depth setting means and tliehousing, said member comprising a corrugate lsylphon secured in an air tight manner'to said depth-setting mechanism and the casing. l

Signedat Brooklyn,fNew York, this 14th day of February 1921i A H. BRANHAM. 

